Document Type

Article

Publication Date

3-10-2026

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This article is the author’s final published version in Women's Health Reports, Volume 7, 2026.

The published version is available at https://doi.org/10.1177/26884844261420627. Copyright © The Author(s) 2026.

 

Abstract

Objective: Endometriosis is associated with significant diagnostic delays, averaging 6.7 years, largely due to nonspecific symptoms and inadequate diagnostic approaches. Over 15,000 emergency department (ED) visits in the United States annually involve patients with endometriosis, highlighting the need for knowledge of endometriosis. This study surveys emergency medicine (EM) attendings, residents, nurse practitioners, physician assistants, and fellows to assess knowledge and practice in managing endometriosis-related ED complaints. Methods: A questionnaire from a prior endometriosis survey was modified for EM providers and administered anonymously via email (Qualtrics, Provo, UT) in monthly newsletters to providers at an academic and six associated community EDs. Descriptive statistics were applied for analysis. Results: Among 59 respondents, 60.3% were female, 37.9% male, and 1.7% nonbinary. Most were attending physicians (44.8%) or residents (31.0%). Regarding knowledge of endometriosis, 50.0% of respondents rated themselves as “somewhat knowledgeable,” while 37.9% were “moderately knowledgeable,” and 5.2% were “not knowledgeable at all.” 36.2% felt they lacked adequate knowledge on managing endometriosis in the ED. 13.8% did not consider endometriosis in their differential diagnoses, despite 89.7% reporting that they evaluated gynecological complaints frequently (36.2% monthly, 43.1% weekly, and 10.3% daily). 74.1% desired education on endometriosis. Symptom recognition exceeded respondents’ self-reported knowledge; >60% reported they were at least “likely” to associate endometriosis with dyspareunia, cyclical painful defecation, dysmenorrhea, fertility disorders, menstrual cycle abnormalities, and chronic pelvic pain. Conclusions: There may be a gap in endometriosis knowledge among EM providers, with many expressing interest in further education. Targeted training may improve diagnostic accuracy, reducing diagnostic delays.

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Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial 4.0 License

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Language

English

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